Posting tray



April 8, 1930. M. VAN VAPKENBURGH 1,753,453

POSTING TRAY Filed June" 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR;

1115mm MYANVALKENBUQ H By V I A TTORNEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 8, 1930. R. M. VAN VALKENBURGH POSTING TRAY Fiied June 6, 1927 Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES RICHARD M. VAN VALKENBURGH, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BYIVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T WILSON-JONES COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS POSTING TRAY Application filed June 6, 1927. Serial No. 196,909.

ments ofconstruction which are otherwise valuable and novel in a device of this character.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a posting machine tray, which has a pair of wing-supporting rods in lieu of the well-known closed sides which rods support the two wings of the tray in such a manner that they are adjustable longitudinally thereof. i i

Another object of this invention is to provide a posting machine tray which includes a pair of racks each'having' an inclinedwall particularly adapted to guide bookkeeping sheets to the proper position between a pair of adjustable end-wings. An even further object of the'instant invention is the provision of a posting machine tray which has a pair of adjustablefwings, one of which wings is anchored to the base of the tray in such a manner that limited movement longitudinally of the tray ispermitted, yet unde-' sirable displacement of said wing is precluded by the anchoring mechanism. A yet further object of this invention is the provision of a posting machine tray having a pair of adjustable wings, one of which is anchored to the base of the tray while the other is movable longitudinally thereof, toward and from said anchored wing in such a manner that when the wings have been moved the maximum distance apart no space is wasted and the tray is capable of'practically 100% capacity.

Minor objects of the invention will appear during the courseof the detailed specification referring to the accompanying drawing wherein,

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a posting machine tray made in accordance with this inventlon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal fragmentary section taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view, taken through the anchoring notches of the rack, showing the manner in which a single bolt may be used at each corner to hold the parts of the trayin assembled relation. l

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the two co-acting inclined surfaces of the racks and, I a

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed View taken on line VIVI of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal central section of the transom lock. 7 Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 7' designates a base which may be formed of sheet-metal and provided with continuous side and end walls, 8 and 9 respectively, which extend upwardly but a short distance from the base 7 to provide a low solid tray, which is extremely rigid and perfectlycapable of supporting an upstanding bracket 10 at, each of the four corners thereof. 7

In constructing this posting machine tray to carry outone of the salient objects of permitting the entrance of light to the face of the sheets being referred to, a pair of parallel rods '12 are provided above each of the two sides 8. Each of these rods 12 are supported by two of the upstanding brackets 10 in such a manner that a pair of wings 13' and 14 respectively may be adjustably mounted thereon. Wing 14 is provided at each of its sides with an arm 15, which has an opening 16 therethrough to engage the adjacent rod 12. As will be clearly seen in Fig. 6 this opening 16 is longer than the diameter of rod 12 passing through the same, and its upper edge is squared to engage a notch 17 when the wing is in a substantially vertical plane; notch 17 is spaced inwardly from the end of rod 12 and the lower edge of wing.

14 carries a transverse anchoring pin 18 which projects beyond the two sides of wing 14 to be loosely engaged by acheck member 19 which is securely supported by base 7 along each of its two sides ,9. As clearly vertical shown in Figs. 3 and 4 rod 18 projects into each check member 19 through a notch 20, which notch is elongated to permit the raising or lowering of wing 14 and pin 18 when it is desired to move the arm 15 out of engagement with notch 17 or when wing 14 is moved from one position to the other of the two positions shown in Fig. 1.. The arm 15 engages the adjacent upstanding bracket 10 to limit the movement and to hold it in the inclined position. This is the position assumed when the tray is in use. lVing 13 is mounted upon the rods 12 for movement longitudinally thereof toward and from wing 14, and in addition to this longitudinal movement is pivotally mounted as at 21 to permit a swinging from the vertical to the inclined plane shown in Fig. 1. A pin in an arcuate slot 22 limits this swinging movement, and a transom-lock 23 precludes movement from wing 14. This transom lock, 23, is of the ordinary type which includes the springactuated lug 50 which normally tilts at an angle allowing movement of the entire mechanism including the wing 13 in but one direction. When the lug 50 is moved to the vertical position, the mechanism and wing may be moved in either direction along rod 12. The transom lock may be operated to the released condition when wing 13 is forced toward wing 14. Its grip on rod 12, is automatically released. It is noticeable that the lower edge of wing 13 is not anchored in any manner whatsoever, but is free to move. When the wings 13 and 14 are in the position shown in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 sheets, not here shown, are usually therebetween and the posting machine tray is in condition for storing. When the wings 13 and 14 are in the position shown indotted lines of Fig. 1, the

same will be in an operative position. Obviously light will pass into the top and sides to reach every square inch of sheet surface, and no objectional high solid sides are present.

In the removal and placing of sheets in this posting machine tray, it has been found desirable to provide guide means whereby the sheets will not lodge in any position other than the correct one with the bottom edge in engagement with the surface of base 7. Accordingly, each of the two side check members 19 has been provided with an inclined top wall 24 which will guide the sheets as they are being placed between wings 13 and 14, automatically. The bottom edge of the sheets used in connection with equipment of this character are provided with a notch, which in this instance, engages a guide bar 25 supported at each end by a transverse strip 26 which has a longitudinal slot 27 therein for the reception of a set-screw 28 which passes through the slot 27 and into the end of guide-bar 25, which is disposed be neath strip 26. This construction may be used to permit adjustment of the guide-bar transversely of said tray. Strip 26 terminates in the corner of the base 7 as do the guide check members 19 and the novel assembling method is used, which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. A bolt 29 passes through sleeve 30 and maintains check member 19, strip 26, base 7 and a foot 31 in the proper assembled relation. This assembly obviously is repeated at each corner of the tray and an extremely desirable result attained with a maximum amount of material, parts, and labor. The upper edge of each wing 13 and 14 respectively, is curled as shown in the drawing to provide a convenient grip and when wing 14 is moved from one position to the other it is positively anchored the same as though its lower edge were pivotally connected without the allowance of vertical play.

The operation of this machine posting tray has been made clear throughout the specifications and it is desired to be limited in the practice of this invention only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a posting machine tray, a base having side and endwalls, an upstanding bracket at each corner of said base, bracket-supported rods extending longitudinally of the base and above each side wall respectively, a pair of wings slidably supported by said rods and means anchoring one of said wings to the base and whereby sliding movement of the same along said rods is limited.

2. In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, a pair of wings adjustably carried by said rods and a pair of check members, mounted upon the base, one of said wings being anchored to said check members to limit the adjusting movement thereof along said rods.

3. In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, a pair of wings adjustably carried by said rods, check members on the base and movementlimiting stops for one of said wings, said wing being anchored to the check members to permit movement from one stop to the other.

4. In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, a pair of wings adjustably carried by said rods, and means limiting the adjustment 01 one of said wings to a predetermined portion of each rod, the other of said wings being movable along the entire length of said rods toward or from said first-mentioned wing.

5. In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, a pair of wings adjustably carried by said rods, and means limiting the adjustment of one of said wings to a predetermined portion of each rod and locking means connecting the other of said. wings to the rods and adapted to automatically permit movement along the rods toward said first-mentioned wing.

6. In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, and a pair of wings carried by said rods, one of said wings being anchored to said base for oscillating movement around said anchor, the other being slidably carried by said rods and movable toward and from said first-mentioned Wing.

7 In a posting machine tray, a base, a pair of parallel rods disposed thereabove, a pair of wings adjustably carried by said rods and a check member along said base below each rod, said check members each having an inclined top wall converging toward the base.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my si nature.

RioHARD M. VAN VALKENBURGH. 

